Snakes and Ladders

2019-01-05T17:44:45+11:00

2 min read

With no racing yesterday due to the strong winds, the racing started early for the last day of racing. Seven races were held which also gave all the second drop race. This was done over two sessions. Three races in the morning, a break for lunch and then 4 races in the afternoon. The strong winds from the day before did cause some of the seaweed to come onto the race course causing some minor issues for some the of the sailors.

With the breeze fluctuating in pressure and some directional changes it was always going to be a tough day in the office for all the sailors. With the top three places seeming to separate from the rest of the fleet it was going to see if they could maintain their lead. Also, which if the three would come out on top.For the overnight leader and defending champion, Darren Smith and Claire Bisgood the day couldn’t have got off to a worse start. They broke a gooseneck in the first race of the day and had to retire. But bounced back to win the second race of the day. Though it was the consistency of Cam Owen and Susan Ghent that prevailed to win the Australian Hobie 16 Championships. Though former Hobie 16 World Champion Gavin Colby and Bradley Wilson shone on the last day with 2 first places, 4 second places and a dropping a sixth place to finish in second place overall. Darren Smith and Claire Bisgood finished third overall as they could not mage the consistency of the other two teams.

So tough was the racing that current Hobie 14 World Champion Fletch Warren-Myers was finished on the water in race 11 being that far behind the leaders. Fletch later commented that helped him as he went to shore, made some changes to the boat and had 2 top 10 finishes.

As this was the selection series for the South Pacific Region to the 22nd Hobie 16 Worlds in Captiva Island, Florida to be held 1-16 November 2019 https://hobieworlds.com . The top 11 teams will be asked to represent their region at these world championships.